I used Whisper White to create my card and added a layer of Certainly Celery.  I stamped the stem image from the Field Flowers stamp set onto Whisper White card using Certainly Celery.  I stamped the solid large flower from the same stamp set onto a scrap of Whisper White card using Pink Pirouette ink and then stamped the detail large flower over the top using Pretty in Pink ink.  I did this twice and cut the flowers out.  I attached them to the card front over the stem image.  I stamped the greeting from the Sincere Salutations stamp set using Certainly Celery ink  (and my stamp-a-ma-jig).

I love the clean and simple style of card – it reinforces what I like to tell beginner stampers – you don’t need lots of product to create something beautiful.

What do you think?

Bye for now, Kris.

In keeping with the sketch I started with an A4 sheet of Daffodil Delight cardstock which I stamped all over using the “filigree” stamp from the Creative Elements stamp set using Daffodil Delight ink.  I cut a 7″ square of Whisper White card stock and again stamped all over using the “filigree” stamp and Night of Navy ink.  I cut the main photo using my Circle Scissors just slightly smaller than the maximum 6″ and then attached it to a mat of Night of Navy (cut to the maximum size on the Circle Scissors).  I cut individual photos of the children into small circles and attached them to the right hand side of the Daffodil Delight card stock.  I printed their names and school year on the computer, punched them using the Word Window Punch and attached them to Night of Navy Modern Labels.  I attached their names over the photos and that completes the part of my page which matches the sketch.

I like to make my pages 12 x 12″ so I trimmed an A4 sheet of Whisper White card stock to approximately 4″ and attached it to the bottom of a 12 x 12″ sheet of Night of Navy card stock.  The Daffodil Delight A4 sheet is attached to the top of the 12 x 12″ sheet over the Whisper White card stock.  Before fixing these sheets firmly I wrapped them with the Blue 3/8″ Denim Jean Ribbon.  I printed the lettering using Night of Navy card stock, the Big Shot and the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet.

Another simple page but one that records how quickly my grandchildren are growing.

Bye for now, Kris.

I cut Poppy Parade card stock and scored and folded it into a little square box.  I used the dimensions from a tutorial  by Sandy Hancock to assemble the box.  I cut a window in the front of the box and assembled as per instructions.  I decorated each of the panels with the Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (free for qualifying orders in the Sale-A-Bration catalogue).  I cut the lid from Early Expresso card stock and decorated the top with a panel of Poppy Parade card stock and a piece of the Everyday Enchantment Designer Series paper.  When I put my tea bags in the box, it was a little too square, so I cut some Poppy Parade card stock and attached it inside the box to make it more rectangular and then the tea bags fit perfectly. 

To decorate the lid I wrapped it with the free Sale-A-Bration Lucky Limeade 1/8″ Organdy Ribbon.  I also made a few loops of this ribbon and tied it with Linen Thread.  I attached the loops over the top of the tied ribbon using Mini Glue Dots.  I cut three Lucky Limeade leaves using the smallest leaf on the Blossom Petals Builder Punch.  Once punched I folded the leaves in half to add some dimension.  I used Mini Glue Dots to attach them over the Lucky Limeade 1/8″ Organdy Ribbon. Using Poppy Parade card stock I cut one 2-3/8″ Scallop Circle, one 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle and one 1-1/4″ Circle.  I cut each of these into a spiral and then rolled them up tightly to form a flower.  I used Crystal Effects to hold them in shape and attached them over the leaves using Mini Glue Dots.

This paper reminds me of beautiful floral tea cups – the kind that make me think of my grandmother.

I love this dispenser, in fact I believe I will have to make one of these for myself.  I would love to know what you think.

Bye for now, Kris.

It’s also a fabulous time to join Stampin’ Up!.   During Sale-A-Bration you can purchase your Starter Kit for only $249.00 (usually $289.00) and you can also choose one free stamp set of any value from the current Idea Book and Catalogue.  So if you have been thinking of joining Stampin’ Up! then this is the ideal time to do so.

Contact me if you would like a copy of the Sale-A-Bration catalogue.

Bye for now, Kris.

I used Whisper White as the base for my 12 x 12″ page.  I attached a narrow strip of Basic Black card stock with one long edge punched using the Eyelet Edge Border Punch to a piece of Regal Rose Designer Series Paper from the Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack and then to the Whisper White card. To make the bow I cut two pieces of Whisper White 5/8″ Organza Ribbon and attached one end of each piece of ribbon to one side of the back of the Designer Paper before attaching it to the Whisper White card stock.  Once the Designer Paper was firmly attached I tied a bow.   I added a mat of Basic Black card stock to my photo.  I printed the journalling onto Whisper White card stock and punched it using the Decorative Label Punch.  I added a Basic Black Decorative Label to the back and then attached it behind the photo before adding it to the page.  I punched Regal Rose card stock twice using the Fancy Flower punch and Whisper White card stock 3 times using the Floral Fusion sizzlit.  I separated each of the pieces into two layers (see my free tutorial here if you would like to know how I made the flowers).  I sponged the Floral Fusion flowers with Regal Rose ink after they were separated.  I did leave one of the smallest Floral Fusion Flowers without any sponging.  The three flowers have been stacked onto Clear Basic Rhinestones and attached over the top right hand edge of the photo.

This page is also very simple in style but with such a gorgeous photo I couldn’t go wrong.

Bye for now, Kris.

This week’s challenge has been set by me and as well as using the sketch each project needs to the use the stampset Under the Big Top.  I received this set when I attended the Brisbane Regionals last year and as you can image it wasn’t one I would have picked to buy – you know how much I love colouring images – so I thought I might get some inspiration from all of you.

Anyway, here is my example.  I attached a piece of Early Expresso card stock to scored and folded Cajun Craze card stock.  I stamped the lion image using Early Expresso ink onto the top right hand corner of the Early Expresso card stock.  I cut two pieces of Designer paper from the Well Worn Designer Series Paper, matted each of them onto Cajun Craze card stock and attached them to the card front.  I stamped the lion image from the Under the Big Top stamp set onto Whisper White card stock using Stazon Jet Black ink.  I used Soft Suede, Early Expresso and Night of Navy Stampin’ Write Markers to colour the image.  One of the things I remember most from Regionals was the way they showed us to use our markers to colour.  You take one of your Clear Mount Blocks and scribble the marker onto it and then use your Blender Pen to pick up the colour and add it to your image.  For some reason this allows me to colour an image and feel satisfied with the result.  I cut the image using the 1-3/4″ Circle Punch and attached it to a Cajun Craze 2-3/8″ Scallop Circle.  The image is attached to the card front using dimensionals.

I know this is relatively simple but I am looking forward to seeing what you can create.  If you need more inspiration then visit Shirley and Vicky and then Sunny Challenges to add your creation to Mr. Linky.  We appreciate all your support and love seeing the entries each week.

Bye for now, Kris.

I used Basic Black cardstock for my base.  I cut a strip of Whisper White card using the Tasteful Trim Die, sponged the edges with Pacific Point ink and attached it behind a piece of Pacific Point Designer Paper from the Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack.  I cut another piece of Whisper White card stock using the Tasteful Trim Die, layered it onto a strip of Pacific Point card stock and then embossed it using the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder.  I attached this to the Pacific Point Designer paper (hint – I didn’t have any 12″ x 12″ Pacific Point card stock to I used a strip of A4 and cut it in the middle where it is covered by the photo and nobody knows it doesn’t run all the way.)  I did tie a short length of Whisper White 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon around the trim at the top of the page before attaching it to the designer paper.  I embossed the Rectangle Designer Frame onto Pacific Point card stock and cut it out.  I printed my journalling using the computer onto Whisper White card and attached it in the middle of the Rectangle Designer Frame.  I matted the photo with Whisper White card stock and attached the journalling piece behind the photo before attaching it to the page.  I stamped the four images from the Dinoroar stamp set onto Whisper White card stock using Stazon Jet Black ink and coloured them using my Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker and Blender Pen.  There is a touch of Bashful Blue on the belly of two of the dinosoars.  I attached the images to the page around the photo.

Again another simple page – the photo is too gorgeous not to make it the focus of your attention.  I hope that you like this page as much as you did the one of Ava.

Bye for now, Kris.

Anyway, we made 3 cards last night and I shared the tutorial instructions with the ladies which gives all the cutting dimensions etc. and I wanted to show them that they could take this information and make a completely different card.

They made this very masculine card to the left (although I forgot the stampset and had to improvise, sorry again ladies) and I made this very feminine card to the right using the same sizes for the cut pieces.

I started with a base card of Basic Black and attached a piece of Whisper White card stock.  I matted two different pieces of Flirtatious Specialty Designer Series Paper onto Basic Black and attached them to the card front.  I cut one of the Melon Mambo doily shapes from the paper which also comes in the Flirtatious Specialty Designer Series Paper and attached it to the card front.  I stamped the flower from the Creative Elements stamp set onto Whisper White card stock three times using Wisteria Wonder ink, cut out one full flower and two smaller sections of flower, attached them using dimensionals and then added it to the centre of the doily.  I stamped the butterfly from the same stamp set onto Whisper White card, cut it out and attached it to the card front using a Mini Glue dot behind the body and half a dimensional behind each wing.

I believe I showed them how simple it is to take one layout and change it to look completely different while still using the same sized components.

The instructions for the male card will be available for purchase on my tutorials page next month after I have held my Stamp-A-Stack which also includes this card.  I will let you know when it is available, or you could keep watching  my classes and workshops page and attend in person, then you get the instructions free.

I’d love to hear what you think of my two different cards using the same layout.

Bye for now, Kris.

This is the first one that I completed of my youngest granddaughter Ava.  I decided to keep the layout simple and just concentrate on the photos.   I cut a piece of Rich Razzleberry designer paper from the Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack and attached a strip of Basic Black cardstock behind it which has one long edge punched using the Scallop Trim Border Punch.  I wrapped the designer paper with Whisper White 5/8″ Organza Ribbon, tied a knot and then attached it to 12″ x 12″ Whisper White card stock.  I matted the photo onto Basic Black card stock and attached it to the page.  I embossed the Oval Designer Frame onto Rich Razzleberry card stock and cut it out.  I used my computer to format the journalling and printed it in Rich Razzleberry to match the card stock and designer paper.  I punched the journalling using the Extra Large Oval Punch, attached it inside the Oval Designer Frame and then to the page.  I cut 3 sets of flowers from Whisper White card stock using the Big Shot and the Floral Fusion sizzlit.  I separated each of the flowers into two pieces and sponged the edges using Rich Razzleberry ink. (If you would like to know how I make my flowers, you can download a free tutorial here.)  I assembled the flowers onto a Rich Razzleberry brad from the Brights Brads and attached them around the Oval Designer Frame.  I used the Beautiful Wings embosslit to cut the butterflies from Rich Razzleberry card stock and attached them to the page.

Ava looks so serious in this photo, however, she is a really happy little girl.  She has changed so much since this photo was taken.  I have completed another 2 pages and will share them with you soon.

Bye for now, Kris.

I used some of my pre-ordered Sale-A-Bration items and just love them.  My base cardstock is Soft Suede and I added a piece of the Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (isn’t if beautiful – Sale-A-Bration available 24.1.12).  I matted another piece of the Designer Series Paper onto Soft Suede card stock and attached it to the left hand side of the card front.  I inked the large floral image from the Fresh Vintage stamp set (Sale-A-Bration catalogue available 24.1.12) using Poppy Parade and Lucky Limeade Stampin’ Write Stampin’ Write Markers and stamped onto Very Vanilla card stock.  I wanted to fill the Very Vanilla card stock so that it looked like designer paper.  I attached the stamped panel to Soft Suede card stock and attached it to the right hand side of the card front.  I stamped “happy birthday” from the Happiest Birthday Wishes stampset (Hostess set) using Soft Suede ink onto Very Vanilla card stock.  I inked the small flower from the Fresh Vintage stamp set using Poppy Parade and Lucky Limeade Stampin’ Write Markers  and stamped on either side of the greeting.  The greeting panel is again attached to Soft Suede card stock and then attached to the card front over the two central panels.  Lastly I added a small Basic Pearl to each of the small flowers.

I love this card, it has a real vintage/olde worlde feel.  What do you think?

Bye for now, Kris.